Restaurant Penalties

Restaurant penalties

Florida regulators brought action against several Central Florida restaurants in recent weeks for violating state sanitation and safety regulations.

Restaurants that repeatedly fail inspections or that pose an immediate danger face penalties ranging from fines of $1,000 per violation to the loss of their business licenses.

Restaurants fined within the past two years may receive stiffer penalties. Prior fines are noted.

State inspectors typically focus on four critical areas when they visit restaurants: Is food being stored and cooked at the proper temperature to prevent food poisoning? Are dirty or sick workers being kept from handling food? Are there signs of rats, roaches and other vermin? Is uncooked food, which may be contaminated, kept away from food that is ready to be served to customers?

Restaurants that are cited have 21 days to comply with the penalty and enter into a settlement agreement, or request a hearing.

The following citations were compiled by Jerry Jackson of the Sentinel staff.